Motion picture controlling apparatus



May 1, 1934. omo 1,957,202

MOTION PICTURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed May 26, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR s 6 ATTORNEY WITNES 2 May 1, 1934.

C. DOINO MOTION PICTURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed May 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSW INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 1, 1934.

C. DOINO MOTION PICTURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Fi led May 26,1928 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 1, 1934. c DQINO 1,957,202

MOTION PICTURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Original Filed May 26, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMOTION PICTURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Carmine Doino,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in motion picture controllingapparatus.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a means whereby twomotion picture projecting machines may be automatically controlled tosuccessively operate during the showing of a moving picture composed ofa number of separate film reels to prevent any interruption or break inthe picture and to eliminate the necessity of an operator being on handto watch the machines and manually operate the control switches at theproper instant to shut off one machine and start up the other.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a controllingapparatus in which one projecting machine is prepared for operation asthe film in a second projecting machine nears the limit of itsunwinding, and which sets the first mentioned machine in actualoperation upon 5:9 the complete unwinding of the film in the secondmachine to prevent any lapse between the showing of the film reels.

A further object is to provide a plurality of electric circuits andswitches which are automatically controlled by the film as to positivelyoperate at certain specified times to light the are light of one machinebefore the complete unwinding of a film in another machine, and forsuccessively starting the first mentioned machine in operation andsimultaneously extinguishing the are light and stopping the secondmentioned machine when the film strip is completely unwound.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain.novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essental. features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularlypointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pair of moving picture projectingmachines and the control mechanism therefor.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with part of the upper film magazinesbroken away and shown in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the controlbox.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 44 ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 66 ofFigure 3.

Figure '7 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 7-'7 of Figure5.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the automatic filmcontrol switch.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the several electric circuits.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of my invention.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numerals 10 and11 represent two moving picture projecting machines of the usualwell-known construction, both of which are identical in construction andinclude upper film magazines 12 and driving electric motors 13. Eachupper film magazine 12 has a control switch 14 therein which comprises aswitch housing 15 having contacts 16 and 17 successively engageable by apivoted switch arm 18. The free end of the switch arm carries a roller19 which rests by gravity upon the rolled film strip 20 wound upon afilm reel 21 contained within the upper magazine. When the film in onemachine nears its end during unwinding, the switch arm successivelyengages the contacts 16 and 17 for closing respective circuits 22 and 23for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

Mounted upon a wall or other suitable support is a switch box 24containing a three pole knife switch 25 to which the three conductorfeed wires lead and which supply 110 volt current to the variouscircuits although the current to the several electro-magnetic devices tobe hereinafter explained is stepped down by a transformer 26 containedwithin a cabinet 27 also mounted upon a supporting wall.

Mounted upon the cabinet 2'7 is a gravity drop switch 28 which includesa shaft 29 journalled in suitable bearings and having a leaf springcontact 30 thereon for engagement with a stationary contact 31. Aweighted arm 32 is fixed to the shaft 29 and is disposed exteriorly ofthe cabinet so as to be manually movable to a raised or set positionwhere it is held by a pivoted catch 33 which is so disposed as to beunder the influence of an electro-magnet 34. The electro-magnet 34 isarranged in the circuits 22 with the contacts 16 and gravity switch arms18 of the switches 15 of the two projecting machines. The contacts 30and 31 are arranged in electric circuits 35, with the arc lights 36 ofthe respective projecting machines, while pilot lights 37 are alsoarranged in these circuits and mounted in the cabinet to visiblyindicate to an attendant which circuit is in operation. Windows areprovided in the outer side wall of the cabinet to expose the pilotlights to view.

Also mounted within the cabinet is a main switch 38 which includes arotary make and break roller 39 having a contact 40 for successiveengagement with stationary contacts 41 arranged in the respective lightcircuits 35 and which constantly engage a stationary contact 42 which isconnected with one pole of the three pole switch 25 and through whichthe respective light circuits are closed. The roller 39 also carries acontact 43 which successively engages stationary contacts 44 of therespective motor circuits 45 of which the contact 42 serves as a partand with which the contact 43 constantly engages.

The make and break roller 39 is controlled by a gravity drop 45 whichincludes a weighted arm 46 disposed exteriorly of the cabinet and whichis mounted on a shaft 4'? on which a gear 48 is fixed. The arm 46 isoperatively connected to the shaft by a ratchet mechanism 49 by whichrotation may be imparted to the shaft upon the dropping of the arm, butwhich allows the arm to be manually lifted to a set position withoutdisturbing the shaft or the make and break roller which is connectedtherewith through a gear 50 meshing with gear 48. The gear 50 is fixedto the roller 39 as clearly shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. Upondropping of the arm 46, the roller will turn one-half revolution toalternately engage the sets of contacts 41 and 44 disposed on oppositesides of the axis thereof, whereby to control the light and motorcircuits of the respective projecting machines.

For the purpose of breaking the light circuit of one of the machinesupon the starting of the motor of the other machine without disturbingthe light of the started machine, I provide a switch 51 controlled bythe dropping of the arm 46, which switch is arranged in the circuits 35and includes stationary contacts 52 adapted to be bridged by the forkedend of a lever or pivoted switch arm 53, the free end of which extendsbeyond the front wall of the cabinet into the 7 set position as shown inFigure 1.

path of downward movement of the arm 46. The forked end of the leverbeing heavier than the opposite end causes the same to normally bridgethe contacts 52 to close the circuits which are broken upon dropping ofthe arm 46.

The arm 46 is held in a raised position by a pivcted catch 54 which issubjected to the action of an electro-magnet 55 when energized and whichelectro-magnet is arranged in the circuit 23 with the contacts 17 andswitch arms 18 of the respective machines.

In Figure 9 of the drawings, I have shown the fire screens or shutters56 which are under the influence of electro-magnets 56 arranged incircuits 57 with the contacts 1'? and switch arm 18 which automaticallydrop the shutters to a position into the path of the light rays when thefilm is completely unwound. The shutter of the machine wlich is runningis already up, so that it only affects operation of the shutter of themachine to be started.

In operation, assume that the parts are in the position shown in Figure9 of the drawings wherein the knife switch 25 is closed and the switch38 is set to operate the projecting machine 11. The switch arm 18 isbeing held from engagement with either of its co-acting contacts 16 and17 by reason of the diameter of the film contained on its reel while thegravity drop switches are in a The machine 10 is prepared for operationby placing a film reel in the upper magazine and threading the same inthe usual manner, and which reel is presumed to be a continuation of thereel contained within the machine 11. The motor circuit 45 and lightcircuit 35 of the machine 11 is closed to cause operation of the machinewhile the same circuits of the machine 10 are open by reason of theposition of the contact roller 39. Now, as the film nears the end of itsunwinding in the machine 11, the diameter decreases to a size wherebythe arm 18 moves into engagement with the contact 16 which closes thecircuit 22, energizing the electro-magnet 34 which operates the catch 33to release the arm 32 to effect engagement of the contacts 30 and 31which closes the light circuit 35 to light the arc light 36 of themachine 10 to prepare the machine for instant operation as soon as theentire film in the machine 11 is unwound. When the film in the machine11 is fully unwound, the arm 18 moves into engagement with contact 17which closes the circuit 23, thus energizing the electro-magnet 55 whichoperates the catch 54 to release the drop arm 46, thus turning thecontact roller 30 one-half revolution to cause the contacts 40 and 43 tomove to reverse positions to close the motor and light circuits of themachine 10 and open the same circuits of the machine 11, whereupon themachine 10 is rendered operative and machine 11 inoperative. As the arm46 drops, it strikes the forked switch arm 51 to break the circuit 35 toextinguish the arc lights of the machine 11, as the lamp of the machine10 is receiving its current through the circuit closed by contacts 40and 41. imultaneous- 1y with the engagement of the arm 18 with contact1'7, the circuit 5'7 is closed, causing energizing of the electro-magnetof the machine 10 to allow the fire shutter 56' to drop to a positionout of the path of the light rays of the are light of that machine, itbeing understod that the fire shutters are moved to obstructing positioninto the path of light by an operator. It will now be evident that themachine 16 is running whereupon the drop arms 32 and 46 are manuallylifted back into raised position and the machine 11 prepared foroperation upon the complete unwinding of the film in the machine 10. Theswitching off of one machine and the switching on of the other machineis automatic at the proper time to prevent any interruption between theshowing of two or more film reels, and by the use of this invention, anoperator is not compelled to be on the alert to actuate switches at theproper time. The duties of an operator will only necessitate the settingof the drop switches, fire shutters and the insertion and removal offilm reels from the machine.

In Figure 10, I have shown a modified form of my invention in which allof the parts are automatic in that the gravity drop switches areeliminated and in lieu thereof, I employ separate solenoids 34 in therespective circuits 22 controlled by the engagement of the switch arm 18with the contacts 16. These solenoids actuate contacts 30 which bridgethe spaced contacts 31 in the respective circuits to turn on the arclights 36. These solenoids serve the same purpose as the magnet 34 inthe preferred form.

In lieu of the gravity drop switch 38, I provide a double actingsolenoid 55' having separate windings arranged in the circuits 23 andwhich solenoid has contacts 43 and 40' on opposite ends of its slidingcore for respective engagement with set contacts 42' and 44', and 42"and 41, arranged in the motor and light circuits 45 and 35.

Upon the energizing of the respective windings of the solenoid thecircuits of the respective machines may be controlled, thus dispensingwith the necessity of an attendant setting the drop switches as providedin the preferred form. The other parts of the apparatus are the same inthe modified form as in the preferred form, and like reference numeralsrefer to similar parts.

While I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodimentof my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be variedwithout in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and Itherefore do not limit myself to the exact details of constructionherein set forth nor to anything less than the whole of my inventionlimited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including a film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, an arc-lamp, a film driving motor, and electric circuitsrespectively for said lamp and motor, a film follower mounted in thefilm magazine of each projector, a switch controlling the arc-lampcircuits of both projectors, means for retaining the last-named switchin open position, each film follower having a two-position switch, anelectric release for the first said switch and actuated by the switch ofeither film follower in the first position of the same, a make and breakcontact roller controlling the lamp and motor circuits of bothprojectors and movable to two positions to close the lamp and motorcircuits of one projector and open those of the other and vice versa, agravity drop arm operatively connectcd with the make and break contactroller, a stop normally maintaining said gravity drop arm elevated, andan electro-magnet positioned to retract said stop and release thegravity drop arm to reverse the position of the make and break contactroller, said magnet having its circuit controlled to be energized by thefilm follower switches in their second position.

2. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including a film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, an arc-lamp, a film driving motor, and electric circuitsrespectively for said lamp and motor, a film follower mounted in thefilm magazine of each projector, a switch controlling the arc-lampcircuits of both projectors, means for retaining the last-named switchin open position, each film follower having a two-- position switch, anelectric release for the first said switch and actuated by the switch ofeither film follower in the first position of the same, a make and breakcontact roller controlling the lamp and motor circuits of bothprojectors and movable to two positions to close the lamp and motorcircuits of one projector and open those of the other and vice versa, agravity drop arm operatively connected with the make and break contactroller, a stop normally maintaining said gravity drop arm elevated, andan electro-magnet positioned to retract said stop and release thegravity drop arm to reverse the position of the make and break contactroller, said magnet having its circuit controlled to be energized by thefilm follower switches in their second positions, the gravity drop armhaving a ratchet connection with the make and break contact roller topermit its restoration to elevated position without rotation of the makeand break roller.

3. In combination with a pair of motion pic ture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including a film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, an arc-lamp, a film driving motor, and electric circuitsrespectively for said lamp and motor, a film follower mounted in thefilm magazine of each projector, a switch controlling the arc'lampcircuits of both projectors, means for retaining the last-named switchin open position, each film follower having a two-position switch, anelectric release for the first said switch and actuated by the switch ofeither film follower in the first position of the same, a make and breakcontact roller controlling the lamp and motor circuits of bothprojectors and movable to two positions to close the lamp and motorcircuits of one projector and open those of the other and vice versa, agravity drop arm operatively connected with the make and break contactroller, a stop normally maintaining said gravity drop arm elevated, andan electro-magnet positioned to retract said stop and release thegravity drop arm to reverse the position of the make and break contactroller, said magnet having its circuit controlled to be energized by thefilm follower switches in their second positions, the first position ofthe film follower switches being reached after the unwinding of the filmto a predetermined point and the second position after the completeunwinding of the film.

4. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, an arc-lamp, a film driving motor, and electric circuitsrespectively for said lamp and motor, a film follower mounted in thefilm magazine of each projector, a switch controlling the arc-lampcircuits of both projectors, means for retaining the last-named switchin open position, each film follower having a two-position switch, anelectric release for the first said switch and actuated by the switch ofeither film follower in the first position of the same, a make and breakcontact roller controlling the lamp and motor circuits of bothprojectors and movable to two positions to close the lamp and motorcircuits of one projector and open those of the other and vice versa, agravity drop arm operatively connected with the make and break contactroller, a stop normally maintaining said gravity drop arm elevated, andan electro-magnet positioned to retract said stop and release thegravity drop arm to reverse the position of the make and break contactroller, said magnet having its circuit controlled to be energized by thefilm follower switches in their second positions, the first position ofthe film follower switches being reached after the unwinding of the filmto a predetermined point and the second position after the completeunwinding of the film, the gravity drop a m having a ratchet connectionwith the make and break contact roller to permit its restoration toelevated position without rotation of the make and break roller.

5. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors for alternatefunctioning and each having a magazine having a reel of film, arc-lampsfor the respective projectors, electric circuits in which said lamps areincluded, a driving motor for each projector and a circuit in which eachmotor is included, a film follower mount-ed in the magazine of eachprojector and bearing on the reel of film, a two-position switchassociated with each film follower, the first position being assumedafter the film has unwound to a predetermined point and the secondposition after the film has completely unwound, a

reversible switch controlling the lamp and motor circuits of bothprojectors and jointly closing the lamp and motor circuit of one whileopening the corresponding circuits of the other and vice versa, and lampcircuit controlling means to energize the lamp of the inactive projectorindependently of the motor thereof, the last said means being controlledby the film follower switches in their first position and said reversingswitch controlled by the film follower switches in their secondpositions.

6. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including afilm magazine having a reel offilm thereon, a source of light, a film driving motor and electriccircuits respectively for said source of light and motor, a filmfollower mounted in the film magazine of each projector, a switchcontrolling the circuits of the sources of light of both projectors,means for retaining the last named switch in open position, a twoposition switch associated with each of said film followers, an electricrelease for the first said switch actuated by the switch of either filmfollower in the first position of the same, a make and break contactroller controlling the circuits of the source of light of the motor ofboth projectors and movable to two positions to close the circuits ofthe source of light and motor of one projector and upon those of theother and vice versa, a drop arm operatively connected with the make andbreak contact roller, means normally maintaining said drop arm elevated,and means arranged to operate said last mentioned means and effect arelease of the drop arm to reverse the position of the make and breakcontact roller.

7. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including a film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, a source of light, a film driving motor and electriccircuits respectively for said source of light and motor, a filmfollower mounted in the film magazine of each projector, a switchcontrolling the circuits of the sources of light of both projectors,means for retaining the last named switch in open position, a twoposition switch associated with each of said film followers, an electricrelease for the first said switch actuated by the switch for either filmfollower in the first position of the same, a make and break contactroller controlling the circuits of the source of light of the motor ofboth projectors and movable to two positions to close the circuits ofthe source of light and motor of one projector and upon those of theother and vice versa, a drop arm operatively connected with the make andbreak contact roller, means normally maintaining said drop arm elevated,and means arranged to operate said last mentioned means and effect arelease of the drop arm to reverse the position of the' make and breakcontact roller, said last mentioned means including an electric circuitarranged to be energized by the film follower switches in their secondposition.

8. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including a film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, a source of light, a film driving motor and electriccircuits respectively for said source of light and motor, a filmfollower mounted in the film magazine of each projector, a switchcontrolling the circuits of the sources of light of both projectors,means for retaining the last named switch in open position, a twoposition switch associated with each of said film followers, an electricrelease for the first said switch actuated by the switch of either filmfollower in the first position of the same, a make and break contactroller controlling the circuits of the source of light of the motor ofboth pro jectors and movable to two positions to close the circuits ofthe source of light and motor of one projector and upon those of theother and vice versa, gravity operated means operatively connected withthe make and break contact roller, means normally maintaining saidgravity operated means inoperative, and means arranged to render saidlast mentioned means operative to effect a release thereof to reversethe position of the make and break contact roller.

9. In combination with a pair of motion picture projectors adapted toalternately function and each including a film magazine having a reel offilm thereon, a source of light, a film driving motor and electriccircuits respectively for said source of li ht and motor, a filmfollower mounted in the film magazine of each projector, a switchcontrolling the circuits of the sources of light of both projectors,means for retaining the last named switch in open position, a twoposition switch associated with each of said film fol,- lowers, anelectric release for the first said switch actuated by the switch ofeither film follower in the first position of the same, a make and breakcontact roller controlling the circuits of the source of light of themotor of both projectors and movable to two positions to close thecircuits of the source of light and motor of one projector and uponthose of the other and vice versa,

gravity operated means operatively connected r

